The Delhi High Court on Monday asked prison authorities here whether they have sufficient number of isolation wards to accommodate all prisoners, who would surrender, if the bail extension orders issued due to the pandemic are recalled.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh also sought the details regarding the number of COVID-19 cases in the three jails in the Capital, the number of prisoners who are out on bail and need to surrender in the next month and the number of isolation wards in each of the three jails.
The court was hearing an application seeking modification of the High Court’s July 13 and July 24 orders by which it had clarified that its orders extending interim bails/paroles would be applicable to everyone granted the relief before or after March 16.
Misuse of orders
The application has alleged that the two orders were being misused by prisoners by seeking bail on grounds of family illness or such other reasons, instead of seeking regular bail, and then getting the same extended on the basis of the High Court’s direction.
The court said it will not permit misuse of its orders and it will recall its extension order if it was being misused. It also issued notice to the Director General (DG) Prisons, who is in-charge of the all three jails — Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli — in the Capital and sought his stand before the next date of hearing on October 16.
The court on August 24 had extended till October 31, all the interim orders which were to expire on or after August 31 in cases that are before it and also the district courts in view of the persisting COVID-19 pandemic. It had also extended the relief in cases related to those who were enlarged on interim bail or parole and may carry the COVID-19 infection.